Adam Doueihi has been recalled by the Tigers to play halfback against Parramatta Eels this weekend.
There has been much speculation about the star after he sat out of the defeat to the Raiders last weekend following a fall out with club management.
Some suggested Doueihi ought to be dropped from the matchday squad as a result of the rebellion, but Benji Marshall has stuck by him following peace talks on Monday.
It comes with the Tigers under scrutiny as a result of deep-rooted cultural problems emerging in the fall out of the Doueihi saga.
After the 27-year-old sensationally pulled out of last Saturday’s showdown, Doueihi returned to training on Tuesday following the talks with Benji.
The joint venture stated the issues were resolved but not according to journalist Paul Kent, who shone a light on what caused Doueihi’s protest, which included teammates vaping.
“Benji told him he was a selfish player and that’s when Doueihi was like, hang on. He said ‘Mate I’m the guy who has been holding the standards of the club here’,” Kent revealed on Kenty Blitz.
“He said ‘Guys are turning up to training and to gym sessions with a bum bag, vaping as they’re doing their weights. I think Doueihi is well entitled to say, ‘Hang on’.
“They had a meeting this morning, and CEO Sean Millenkamp issued a 21-second statement. He’s given nothing concrete about what happened other than to say yeah, we met and we’re not going to talk about it, we’re going to keep it in-house. “Mate, I just gave everything that’s happened it’s not in-house. It’s not been fixed.”
However, NRL legend James Maloney isn’t buying the vape story for one second, claiming there is “no way” that actually happened.
“If that’s not a gee up the club is more of a basket case than I have ever seen,” Maloney said on news.com.au’s Extended Bench.
“That is comedy to throw that sh** out. There’s no way I’m buying that.
“Mate someone would get punched in the face. Someone would come over and go bang pull your head in. No way mate.”
There’s long been rumours that certain players get preferential treatment at the Tigers, and Kent revealed Terrell May receives just that from Marshall.
“He’s (Doueihi) called out the favourable treatment of some players and I’ll call out one. Terrell May can do no wrong,” he continued.
“Benji looks after him as he sees him as a spiritual leader of the group. Terrell May missed two tackles on the weekend … now let’s talk about standards.
“But the feeling in elements of the club is certain players can do no wrong and Benji allows that to happen.”
Kent also claimed departing playmaker Jarome Luai even texted Doueihi and said he has his back and would step down so he could return to the halves.
“Jarome Luai basically said I support you. If you want I can step down and you can take the 6 jersey,” Kent said.
“I think that’s a fairly noble gesture but one person pointed out it all started with him.”
Luai was in high spirits as he turned up to training on Tuesday, telling awaiting reporters tongue in cheek that “we’re all off him” when asked about the playing group’s relationship with Doueihi.
“We’re all off him,” Luai joked as he walked into training, according to Code Sports.
“What a gronk.”
It comes as Code Sports’ Brent Read took exception to Doueihi playing victim, stating rather than help change the club’s standards, he has taken a wrecking ball through the club.
“I’ve read stories for days about how Adam Doueihi was trying to shine the light on this football club and help this football club. He has smashed this football club with his behaviour. Smashed it,” Read said on NRL360 on Monday night.
“If Adam wants to go at the end of the year, I’m telling him ‘there’s the door, don’t let it hit you on the way out’.
“He’s got to go and front those players who he let down at the weekend.”
NRL great Gorden Tallis added that if Doueihi was truly willing to help change the culture at the Tigers, he should have done what Marshall asked of him.
“If you want to change the culture, if you want to be leading, and if you want to be a leader of that organisation, you play wherever the coach wants you to play,” Tallis said.
“I’m sure that there’s a lot of players that didn’t want to play in certain positions, but they did it for the blokes beside them. I was disappointed that he didn’t play for his teammates.”
Meanwhile, with Jarome Luai already headed out the door and Doueihi a chance of following him, the Tigers again find their roster in a sorry state.
In recent years Stefano Utoikamanu, Lachlan Galvin, Talyn Da Silva and John Bateman all pushed for exits from the Tigers and got them.
Before that, the likes of Mitch Moses, James Tedesco and Aaron Woods also left the club when they appeared to be building something.
And NRL great Braith Anasta believes it is important the club starts showing they won’t be pushed around.
“You’ve always got to hold your integrity in these moments, and that’s why the Doueihi situation is a tough one because you don’t want anyone doing that at your club,” Anasta said.
“That’s why they probably should take a strong stance and not play him this week because there are punishments for your actions.
“If you’re not putting the team first, you get punished for that. The club looks strong if they do that.”
The Tigers are expected to name Doueihi for the Tigers Round 22 clash against the Eels, when team sheets are released at 4pm on Tuesday.